Rivertown rants, raves and reviews from a man of many hats

Things to do this weekend…

There are a lot of great events this weekend but be forewarned that the PPD will be out in force, with two planned sobriety check points. If you think they only run these during the drunkard bar hours, you would be wrong. They are just as likely to run them around dinner time, so make sure you aren’t driving, even if you only have a glass of wine with dinner. Police departments can and will cite for levels much lower than .08 BAC, so play it safe.

Also, Nascar is at Infineon Raceway at Sears Point this weekend so traffic is going to be congested throughout the North Bay.

Please feel free to contact me with any events you would like to see highlighted on upcoming “Things To Do This Weekend” blogs.

FOOD/WINE/BEER:

Sat – 3 p.m., The Fourth Annual Spanish and Portuguese Wine Tasting is yet another great offering from Vine & Barrel. Last month’s Italian wine tasting was a huge success but it doesn’t matter which country Jason is highlighting; you will always taste the best of the best. These producers always go the distance for Jason, bringing a few rare vintages and varietals to round out an already well represented “who’s who” of Spanish and Portuguese vineyards. At $30 per ticket, it is well worth the wine you will taste, the knowledge you will gain, and the time you will get to spend visiting with old friends as well as making new friends. I spoke to Jason a few days ago and he said this one is selling fast, so call or stop by 113 Petaluma Blvd. North to reserve your spot. www.vineandbarrel.com Make sure to walk or bring a designated driver.

Sun – 12-5 p.m. – San Antonio Volunteer Fire Department will be holding a Father’s Day chicken feed. There will be great food, games for the kids, and a silent auction and raffle for a flat screen TV. Contrary to the Petaluma360 calendar’s listing this event at the Petaluma Blvd. Cinemas, I just received confirmation from Captian Matt that it will be at 5227 Red Hill Road, Petaluma. If you have never heard of Red Hill Road (I hadn’t) it is what D Street is called as it passes San Antonio Rd and moves into Marin County. Drive out D Street towards Point Reyes and once you pass San Antonio Road, (on your left) keep an eye out for the signs. It will be the first driveway on the left, just pass the creek/county line and just shy of the little school house across from the Volpi ranch. http://tinyurl.com/28bduwk

SPORTS:

Fri/Sat/Sun – All Day – NASCAR…need I say more?

Fri/Sat/Sun 11:30 a.m. –La Dolce Vita is still opening up early for World Cup action. For a full list events. www.ldvwine.com

Check TAPS out too; when I called this morning to talk with Eric about some unrelated business, I could hear people cheering on U.S.A. in the background.

Sat – All Day –The Wine Country Baseball League’s inaugural season continues this weekend with another triple header at Cardinal Newman’s brand new field. This is true minor league baseball so come out and enjoy a great day of family fun. Prices are reasonable at $5 for adults and $2 for kids. Our very own Petaluma Piratas beat the Rohnert Park Dragons 4 to 1 last weekend. You can read my article in the Argus Courier at http://tinyurl.com/282bxqj and my blog at http://rivertown.blogs.petaluma360.com/

Sat – 4:30 p.m. – If you don’t want to wade through all the NASCAR traffic, only to be hit with high ticket and food prices, head over the Petaluma Speedway to see racing action at its best. And don’t be surprised if you see a NASCAR driver or two sitting in the stands. A lot of these NASCAR guys came from humble beginnings — places such as our little muddy track. If you haven’t been before, this is some of the best excitement money can buy. www.petaluma-speedway.com

THEATRE/FILMS:

Fri – 6:30 p.m. – Movies in the Park – This week’s film is the latest Star Trek “The Future Begins” For more info: www.petalumamovies.com

ART:

Sat – 7 p.m. – The Arts d’Light Fundraising Event will be held at the Petaluma Arts Center. This should be a spectacular event… I see they have their tent up and are already prepping for an incredible night of art, auctions, food, music, and dancing. Don’t forget that their kids summer art camps start this upcoming week. www.petalumaartscouncil.org

Sat/Sun – 12-4pm – The Petaluma Arts Council continues to exhibit “A World Defined: Drawings and Sculptures by Chester Arnold and Edwin Hamilton” as well as the very popular “Art and Infrastructure: Patricia Johanson and the Petaluma Wetlands Park.” www.petalumaartscouncil.org

MUSIC:

Sat – 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – @Aqus Café – Mattinata di Matteo is a mandolin ensemble that plays Italian dance music, called ‘ballo liscio’ or smooth couples dancing. The music dates back to the early 20th century. Accordion and guitar accompany the arranged parts for two parts and six mandolins. www.aqus.com

Sat – 1-3 p.m. – Do you have an “American Idol” wanna-be in your house? Jungle Vibes and Lala’s Creamery are holding an open mic for kids, ages 6-16. If they play their own instrument, even better. Parent permission and advanced reservations are required, so check out their website for more info. www.junglevibes.com

Fri – 5:30 p.m. – “Cruisin’ on the River” tours are back for the summer. The tours run roughly two hours and include wine and cheese, as well as a docent to teach you things you never knew about our river. Tours run most Friday nights and reservations are highly recommended. You can find more info about tours and private charters at: www.friendsofthepetalumariver.org

Fri – 6:30 p.m. – Dame’s Dash and Drink is a free run put on every Friday night by Athletic Soles. You do not have to be an avid runner to enjoy these runs, with distances ranging from 3 to 6 miles and discount refreshments to follow at a local restaurant. www.athleticsoles.com

Sat – 6-11 p.m. – A Night of Wine and 65 Roses – This is a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and will include wine, food, music and auctions. It will be held at the Sheraton. For more info: http://wineand65roses.com/index.html

Sat – 7 p.m. – Copperfield’s Books is hosting three of today’s most popular teen authors. For more information about the “unRequired Reading Tour” visit them at: www.copperfieldsbooks.com

Sun – 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. – The Seed Bank is celebrating their 1st anniversary. They will have music, authors, demonstrations, and information tables. Along with free Strauss Farms ice cream and free tree seedlings for all dads, they will be showing the movie ‘Nourish’ at 12, 2, and 4 p.m. You can get all your gardening questions answered by their very own local celebrity, Gwen Kilchherr, the “Garden Doctor.” www.rareseeds.com

Sun – 1-4 p.m. – Family Fun Day has returned to Jungle Vibes. For storytelling, face painting, Dad’s Day card creation and even a petting zoo, Jungle Vibes is the place to be.

About this blog

Meat Two Ways. …on a stick…and in a bowl!

My name is Houston and I am a Petalumaholic. If it has to do with Petaluma, I am reading about it, visiting it, playing in it, or eating it. I try to participate wherever I can in this community that I under-appreciated as a kid. A big fan of food, I revel in Petaluma’s vast and diverse restaurant, brewery, and winery scene and volunteer or visit every Petaluma food festival, event, or “feed” that I can. I am an Elite Yelp reviewer and in my free time blog as often as I can about the food, as well as the parades, festivals, events, people, and businesses that make Petaluma such a great place to live.

I encourage your feedback and look forward to serving the community through Petaluma 360. If you want to follow my blog without having to log into Petaluma360 you can do so by adding my feed to your homepage. Click on the orange “RSS” button at the bottom right of this webpage. Copy the web address of that link and then open your normal Yahoo (or whatever) homepage. There should be an “add content” option which will allow you add RSS feeds. The link on your homepage is minimal in size but it helps my page gain popularity, which I greatly appreciate, and will encourage me to “rant, rave and review” more often.

I love me some piggy belly!!! (at Tara Firma Farms, getting in touch with my inner pig farmer. They are located at the end of I St. and are open to the public from sunrise until sunset with numerous hiking trails and lots of farming.)